Keeping People & Bikes Moving
By Executive Director Christy Cowley
Thanks to our volunteers and community support, Sharing Wheels served a huge need for healthy outdoor activity and affordable, personal transportation in 2020.
We couldn’t create community within our shop due to COVID limitations, so we built bikes and connections in new ways. Volunteers took bikes home to clean and fix. Local nonprofits helped us match bikes with adults and kids who needed them. Our board met monthly via Zoom. Donations of time, bikes and cash kept us rolling despite a difficult year.
Used Bicycles
Bike Sales: While retail bike shops ran low on inventory, quality donations kept us stocked with a huge variety of bike styles, sizes, and prices. We loved helping new riders buy a bike to fit their needs and budget. 246 bikes.
Kids Bikes: Instead of the annual Kids Bike Swap and Christmas House events, we matched bikes with families directly, and partnered with other nonprofits to distribute bikes to low income kids. 194 bikes.
DIY Shop Use: Our free self-help station was moved out to the garage due to COVID shop limits. That made it harder for people to access our tools and advice. 75% of our 129 users bike for transportation and report low income.
Volunteers
115 people spent 2,615 hours helping in the shop and from their own garages. Boeing, Microsoft, & F5 Networks gave $2,500 to match employee efforts.
Top Volunteers: Larry Williamson, Bruce McLachlin, John Kasey, Don Sperlin, Dave Fox, Claudia Douglass, Patrick Sullivan. More than 100 hours each.
Giving & Support
Individual donations doubled this year thanks to spring and year-end campaigns. Donations were needed because shop activity and revenue were reduced due to COVID. 71 people gave $50 or more.
Grants: City of Everett Community Development Block Grant, Everett Port Gardner Rotary, Stillaguamish Tribe.
Education & Outreach
Repair Classes: We managed to teach several small, in-person bike mechanic classes. We also started mini-courses for mechanical volunteers. 25 students.
Adult Earn-A-Bike: We taught 12 formerly homeless or at-risk adults to fix a flat, gave them a fully-equipped refurbished bike, and took them on their first ride. “This is the best bike I’ve ever owned,” said a grateful 80-year-old recipient.
Velo Art Contest: While most events were canceled, we started something new to put our excess new and used parts to creative use. 6 artists, lots of fun!
2020 Budget
Actual income and expenses for 2020.
Income
| Bike Sales | $43,899 |
| Parts Sales | $11,951 |
| Donations | $36,054 |
| Grants | $9,665 |
| Repairs | $3,466 |
| Online Sales | $6,205 |
| Total | $111,790* |
Expenses
| Staff | $80,895 |
| Bike Parts | $10,680 |
| Rent | $7,850 |
| Insurance, Fees | $4,000 |
| Adminstrative | $4,350 |
| Other Shop Costs | $9,680 |
| Total | $117,455* |
Board of Directors
Kristin Kinnamon, President
Steve Erickson, Treasurer
Drew Ellison, Secretary
Claudia Douglass, Member
Bruce McLachlin, Member
Scott Schmitz, in memoriam
Staff
Christy Cowley, Executive Director
Alain Warchilde, Shop Manager
